Infantino proposes Fifa reform review as pressure mounts over failed privatization plan

Gianni Infantino, the president of Fifa, sent a letter this week to the organization's Council members and all 211 national associations proposing an independent external review of how world football's governing body operates. The move marks a sharp departure from his posture just weeks earlier, when he had defended his controversial privatization proposal with defiance. Now he is signaling openness to reform, framing the review as a chance to "recommend potential improvements" to Fifa's structure and decision-making processes.

The letter comes after a sustained rebellion within football's leadership over Infantino's failed Fifa Forward Enterprise plan. That proposal would have created a new company to manage commercial and ticketing rights across all Fifa competitions, including the World Cup, with 21 percent of the stake sold to private investors. The plan triggered an unprecedented backlash. Uefa, the European confederation, has begun preparing criminal legal proceedings against Infantino in US courts and demanded the release of all documents related to FFE. Concacaf, representing North America, Central America and the Caribbean, joined Uefa in demanding that Fifa pay ten million dollars to each of its 211 member associations from its cash reserves. Debbie Hewitt, the chair of England's Football Association and a Fifa vice-president, called publicly for an independent review of the entire FFE proposal and demanded Infantino release all related documents.

In his letter, Infantino acknowledges the damage caused by how the plan entered public view. He writes that the proposal "entered the public domain before Fifa's planned institutional process had been completed," and that without full context, it "created the impression that decisions had already been taken." He insists the FFE plan never involved surrendering Fifa's control over sporting decisions, and he emphasizes that "democratic processes, independence and sporting authority were never for sale." He also states he remains "fully committed to leading Fifa and confident in what we can achieve together."

The proposed consultation would examine how Fifa's decision-making can be strengthened, including the role of the president itself, and would focus on "practical ways to strengthen transparency, participation and accountability in major strategic initiatives." Infantino says he has spent recent weeks listening to confederations, member associations, and relevant stakeholders before putting pen to paper.

Despite the retreat on FFE, Infantino has not abandoned the underlying ambition. He writes that the plan's collapse "does not diminish our ambition or our responsibility to invest more of Fifa's success back into football," and pledges to "continue to explore sustainable ways to grow Fifa's resources and expand development and solidarity support for every member association." The shift, he suggests, is not in ambition but in process—the organization will develop and test major ideas more rigorously before deciding.

The timing of this conciliatory letter is strategic. Infantino will stand for re-election in March 2027, and his opponents have until November 18 to field an alternative candidate. The Fifa Council is scheduled to meet on October 15, the first gathering since the FFE crisis erupted, and Infantino will hope the review proposal eases the pressure he faces. Yet many of his critics are demanding far more than procedural reform. They want governance overhauls including term limits on the presidency, greater separation between the president and Fifa's administration, stronger emphasis on human rights and sustainability, and redistribution of Fifa's cash reserves. Whether Infantino's willingness to accept some changes will be enough to secure his fourth term remains an open question.